Daryl has his own code: Nine lives, remember?
by BourbonicStarky
Summary: Daryl has left the prison with his twisted brother, Merle. Guess who is going after him?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One.**

Carol's eyes were fixed on the empty perch of the cell block where Daryl used to sleep, it's been a few days since he left with his twisted brother, Merle, and the group was outnumbered. Rick was going insane because of Lori's death and Glenn was on the edge of losing his temper, wanting to plant a bullet in The Governor's brain for the things he did to Maggie. This group was on the edge of losing themselves sooner or later and Daryl's leaving was also a reason why. The only one who were keeping it together right now, were Hershel, Maggie, Beth and Carol. Although the tension was there with Axel around. Carol's lips twitched a little as the images of Axel intimidating Beth and her, because he hasn't been around women for a** _long_** time. That wasn't an excuse to get on our nerves like that. Why couldn't Daryl just stay and help us? Because Rick didn't want Merle to stay in the same cellblock as ours. A deep breath escaped Carol's lungs as she turned on her heels and slowly walked out of the cellblock, heading outside with a rifle hanging on her shoulder. She wasn't going to watch this group fall apart because of the anger that's hidden inside of each and everyone, we all want to make The Governor suffer for what he's done, but we needed Daryl to succeed else it would be a path to our own death.

With her head held high, Carol walked up to Rick. She wanted to bring Daryl back, and she was going to do it either with or without help. "I'm going for a run." She immediately got to the point, that she even surprised Rick. Slowly the sheriff turned around, his eyes meeting Carol's features. The Old Carol would probably sit around and be the housewife that she was back when Ed was alive, but a year passed by and Carol became more independent than anyone expected her to be. The sheriff slowly shook his head a little as his hands were resting on his sides.

"If this is 'bout Daryl.."

"We need him, Rick."

Carol interrupted Rick within a second as her expression remained serious, she wasn't going to back down because the leader told her that she shouldn't go after Daryl.

"I'm going."

And with that, she took her steps away from Rick and turned on her heels to walk up to the cars, taking her rifle from her back and placed it on the backseat of the car before she slipped into the driver's seat and started the car..

* * *

Daryl's eyes scanned the area as he dragged his feet through the woods, following his big brother, Merle the whole time cause he'd know this area better than Daryl did. Merle has been doing tasks for The Governor and made Merle obey him like a dog, that was the way Daryl was thinking. Merle told Daryl everything about living in Woodbury although Daryl couldn't really imagine a normal life anymore. The world outside the walls that barricaded the town was still the same shithole that it became a year ago, nothing changed. Slowly the brothers came to a stop somewhere in an open field and decided to sink down on the ground, rest for a moment after hours of traveling. Daryl had to admit that he missed the prison, Lil' Ass-kicker and of course he missed Carol, but he didn't give into those damn feelings, neither did he say them out loud because of his brother. Merle would call him weak, cause those feelings did weaken you.

"Where the hell you're goin'?"

Daryl looked up at his brother as Merle stood up again and strolled away.

"Relax, baby brother, I'm just gonna take a piss."

Merle answered in his usual voice and disappeared back into the woods, leaving his little brother on his own. Daryl was used to the fact that his brother left him on his own, it wasn't like this wasn't the first time.. Slowly he shook the thoughts away and took his crossbow on his lap just to check up on the amount of arrows he had, he probably had to find some more soon, or make new ones but there wasn't much time to carve new ones out of wood or anything. A short breath escaped his lungs before he slowly got back upon his feet again, placing his crossbow back on his back again as his eyes scanned the open field. They were quite exposed but at least there were no walkers around, but this was just for a few hours, then they'll go on foot again. With his lips pressed into a straight line, he slowly turned around and strolled into the woods; The thing about Daryl was that he couldn't sit still, he had to do something, be useful, he couldn't just sit around and wait for nothing. Slowly he lifted up his feet to get over a broken tree trunk, placing his hand on the trunk just to support himself of getting over it as his eyes were drifting through the woods, he had to stay focused just in case The Governor arrives or a walker, they both were a threat.

And there it was, the reason why he was focused, quickly he turned on his feet; taking his crossbow in his hands as the sound of twigs breaking underneath someone's feet got caught by his ears. His eyes narrowing this instant as they were focusing into the direction of where the threat might come from. If it was The Governor, then approaching the target wouldn't be a good idea but on the other hand, he didn't expect The Governor to be here right now, didn't he have to fix the mess that got created back when Merle and Daryl escaped? Yea, The Governor was busy taking care of the shit that was going down in Woodbury, he doesn't have any time to chase a 'terrorist' and a betrayer. Slowly, Daryl started to take small steps forward, quietly approaching the target that approached him too, his jaw clenching within a second until he quickly made the turn around the tree and locked his aim on the target but instead shooting, he just stood there.. His eyes widening this instant as they met the eyes of the one who's been approaching him ever since he entered the woods.

"Carol?!"


	2. Chapter 2

**I apologize for such a delay and for such a.. crappy chapter, I had a busy week. But I hope you enjoy this and tell me what you think that might happen. - Starky.**

* * *

"What do you mean, you're not coming back?"

Carol stared blankly at Daryl as confusion washed over her, she didn't understand why Daryl was being stubborn. The Prison group was his family, and family sticks together. But then again, Merle was real family, blood related.

"I can't just dump my brother here!"

Daryl's words were loud and clear as he strolled back to the place where he was supposed to wait for Merle to come back, he didn't want to go into the same discussion he had with Rick before he left, but Carol thought differently and strutted behind him, her hand holding onto the rifle she had on her back as her blue eyes were focusing on Daryl's back.

"Rick needs you, Daryl.. We all do."

"Pfft, yeah, right.."

Carol came to a halt as Daryl answered her like that, her lips pressing into a short line as she slumped her shoulders; gazing at Daryl's back as he kept walking away. Why doesn't he just realize that she needed him? Not only she, but everyone else needed him, he was important to the group and Merle was holding him back from being important. The group was quite hopeless without him but Daryl couldn't seem to see it or believe it when Carol said so. A soft sigh escaping her lips as she lowered her head to the ground, Daryl was so sure that he should stay with his brother that he completely forgot about the time that he was without him, honestly he was better off without Merle, his brother was holding him back from becoming the man he was.

Daryl slowly came to a halt as the silence broke between the two, his eyes focused into the direction where Merle went to but still there was no sign of him coming back, he slowly shook his head before he turned around and faced Carol again who's standing there in defeat.

"I need Merle's bike though."

He murmured softly as he tilted his head to the side. Maybe he could just come with her for this one time and get his brothers motorcycle, Merle wanted his stash back and since Merle and Daryl didn't have any transportation, then it would be handier if they could take a ride back to the prison to get it and then leave again, Rick didn't need to know about it. Daryl and Merle would just get out before Carol would reach the gates and enter the prison grounds by that hole in the fence which they cut a long time ago.

Carol's head tilted again as Daryl finally came to words, her eyes staring back into Daryl's before she nodded slowly. She understood Daryl, she knew that he needed to get his brother's bike and she'd do anything to help him out. Even though it meant that Daryl would leave her side again and take off with his brother, at least it was something.

"Sure.."

A soft smile forming upon her lips as she nodded again until she took her steps closer to Daryl, her eyes drifting off to the surroundings as Merle was walking back to Daryl and Carol. This same old grin formed upon Merle's face as he joined the two, his eyes not leaving Carol's face as he spoke. _"Well, well. Look who we have here.. Lil' mouse.."_ The words slipped from Merle's lips as his hands took place on his sides, tilting his head to the side a bit as his eyes went up and down Carol's body. Carol didn't forget about the way Merle was back in Atlanta, neither did she forget about the things he did to Glenn and Maggie. With her lips pressed into a straight line, her eyes wandered off to Merle, blinking once shortly as she gave him a short glare until her eyes went back to the younger brother who now looked at his brother, explaining him where the two were heading to and why Carol was here.

"She's helpin us out, gettin' into the prison and get your bike back."

Merle's eyebrow arched a slight bit as those words left Daryl's lips, causing him to turn his head to his little brother, it was pretty obvious that Merle was questioning this all. Why would Carol do such thing behind Rick's back? Since when did she have the guts to do such thing? But then again, Merle hasn't been there for over a year, he had no idea about Carol's development. Merle's head turning to Carol as a frown formed upon his forehead.

"Since when did you stop hidin' from your own shadow?"

"It wasn't my shadow.."

She whimpered out as her eyes weren't leaving Merle for the moment, her jaw clenching a slight bit as she slowly took a step backwards. Ever since her husband died, she had to take care of herself and her daughter, luckily Daryl was out there to help her when she needed it else she would've gone crazy. Her blue eyes lowering to the ground she's standing on. _"It was my husband's.."_ Her head turning a bit away before her eyes traveled back to Merle again, her eyebrow arching a slight bit before she turned on her heels and scraped her throat. Merle was obviously intimidating her, at least it felt like he did, and it was either depressing as annoying. However, Carol wasn't going to fall for the words that Merle was spilling from his lips without thinking twice, she felt stronger than him and smarter. Her eyes slowly drifted to Daryl as he took his steps forward and interrupted the conversation between Carol and Merle.

"Let's just go.."


	3. Chapter 3

The road back to the Prison seemed longer than it used to be, or at least it felt like it was. Maybe because of the tension right now, the questions in Carol's mind and Merle's gaze in the rear-view mirror, that gaze that made you want to punch someone in the throat. Merle always knew how to make your skin crawl and it was working, Carol's skin was crawling and in her mind she was trying to find a polite way to tell Merle to fuck off. Cause honestly, Carol wanted him to fuck off, but Daryl.. Daryl was siding for his brother, he always did since the day they joined the group. But who was Carol to judge? She appreciated their brother-ship, yet she couldn't stand Merle and his way of surviving either. After all, he did work for the Governor; took the trash out for that man and wiped his ass if it was needed. Daryl was able to see passed it, but Carol couldn't and neither could the rest of the group. That's why Rick didn't want Merle to join the group, the fact that Merle took Glenn and Maggie hostage, that was what made Rick lose trust in Merle, not that Rick trusted him from the beginning.

"You really think Rick is going to let me enter the prison, don't ya?"

Merle said in order to break the silence. A short breath left Carol's lips right after that, she knew that this was coming, she just knew that Merle had to speak up and let her think this was a stupid idea. Well, it was a stupid idea to bring Merle with her but else Daryl wouldn't come along and if he didn't come along then the prison would only go further down under once The Governor arrives. The prison would fall and the group would end up dead; the group need Daryl, especially in times like this.

"There's a small cut in the fence, we'd be able to enter the prison without getting too much attention," Daryl replied.

"I'll just drop you two off before I drive through the gates, and open them when you two got what you want."

A thin smile formed upon Carol's lips as she craned her neck a bit in order to look at Daryl, her soft blue eyes getting locked into Daryl's deep blue eyes as he turned his head as well. Daryl's features softening slowly before he slowly gave her a nod.

"Eyes on the road, lil' mouse."

A chuckle left Merle's lips as this smug grin formed upon his lips, his eyes narrowing a little bit as he waited until Carol and Daryl broke the eye contact and Carol would focus on the road again. A deep breath slowly slips from Carol's lips as she finally did what she was told to do and tightened her grip onto the wheel.

* * *

It didn't take long until the prison gates got in their sight and slowly Carol hit the brakes and let the car come to a halt. Once the car stopped, Merle quickly slipped out of the car and so did Daryl. Honestly, Carol wanted Daryl to stay here and just enter the prison with her. There were no problems when it came down to Daryl but Merle, Merle was the third wheel to this mission, the one who had to make it difficult and all this secrecy stuff, it didn't really felt that great for Carol. She was a honest person, a woman who grew more independence the second her husband died; it was like she had her freedom back which got taken away the second she married Ed. Once Daryl closed the door, Carol nodded to herself to lift her courage and slowly she drove closer to the gates. Daryl will be fine, he'll get what he wants, right? Or is it Merle who gets what he wants?

"A'ight, let's go."

Merle nodded once before he let Daryl take the lead and both the brothers ran across the yard, Daryl holding onto his crossbow as if he was afraid to lose it, tracking the steps just to get to the right side of the fence and get their way inside.

"You really think this will work?"

"You've got a better idea?"

Daryl murmured back at Merle as he quickly crouched down at the fence where the cut was made, his fingers gripping onto it before he unwinds the wire that kept the cut unnoticed from others and prevented walkers from getting in.

"I'm just sayin', the Governor wants the prison gone and wants us all dead, and look where we are, baby brother."

A deep breath left Daryl's lips before he pulled the wire off the fence and craned his neck in order to look over his shoulder. _"You want your bike, or not?"_ And with that, Daryl crawled through the fence and stepped foot onto the prison grounds, followed by Merle.

"No need to get your panties twisted, baby bro."

A short chuckle left Merle's lips and gave Daryl a sharp nudge with his shoulder as Merle walked passed him and walked across the prison field, his eyes scanning the surroundings as his fingers tightened the grip onto his pistol which he held in the only hand he had left.

"Let's just find the damn thing and get out."

* * *

_**Next chapter, more Caryl. I PROMISE. x **_


End file.
